The GREEN TEA /i/ and SILVER PIN /ɪ/ vowel sounds are easy to confuse in English. For many speakers, the SILVER PIN sound doesn’t exist in the first language, so it’s often replaced with GREEN TEA—causing words like lid to sound like lead or it to sound like eat.

These two vowels differ in both tongue movement and tension. GREEN TEA /i/ is a moving vowel, with the tongue arching up toward the roof of the mouth, while SILVER PIN /ɪ/ is shorter and more relaxed, with the tongue staying relatively still. Learning to slow down and notice this contrast helps your ears and mouth separate the sounds more clearly.

In this lesson, you’ll practice hearing and producing the GREEN TEA and SILVER PIN contrast through words and short phrases, building awareness that leads to clearer, more confident pronunciation in everyday speech.

✨ CEA members unlock extended word lists, phrase practice, sentences, and conversation prompts to make this vowel contrast automatic.

The SILVER PIN and GREEN TEA vowel sounds appear in many common English words. Refining these sounds will make your speech clearer and easier to understand. Below you’ll find a list of 100 SILVER PIN and 100 GREEN TEA words, organized for easy practice.

(Clear English Academy members will also find audio recordings for these words plus guided practice at the phrase, sentence, and conversation level.)

100 Super Common SILVER PIN Words

in little pick ability wish
it since official indicate victim
with sit hit pretty responsibility
this until activity bill interesting
his city industry sister dinner
if continue figure miss citizen
will minute image visit admit
which kid picture finish wind
into sick film impact mission
him within window interview participant
give win difficult fish video
still dish listen particular opinion
big consider condition bit critical
system build risk trip original
live interest quickly specific income
been six fill middle possibility
million decision significant exist beginning
different convince similar skin stick
business building individual civil vision
issue position simple kitchen shipping

 

100 Super Common GREEN TEA Words

people team recent indeed key
see speak tree legal speech
these read clean green species
even reason realize seat immediately
need research leak reveal freedom
feel teacher seek peace achieve
three reach deal treat release
between field recently evening please
really leader east deep completely
leave police scene sea sleep
mean free treatment dream feature
keep receive speed detail weekend
seem season media magazine easily
week agree resource heat technique
each eat meeting sing drink
believe teach disease machine feed
bring easy degree beat procedure
meet street region finger reader
least either TV agreement previous
real piece feeling senior defeat

Your next step: Become a CEA member and put this into practice with…

Go beyond understanding and start applying. Members unlock guided phrase, sentence, and paragraph practice that helps new sounds settle into your muscle memory and carry over into everyday speech.

Ask questions right inside each lesson and receive clear guidance when something feels confusing—so you can practice with confidence instead of second-guessing.

Apply what you’ve learned through short, realistic speaking prompts that bridge practice and real conversation, helping your voice feel steadier and more intentional.

Each week, you’ll get a simple speaking challenge that encourages you to apply what you’re learning right away.

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